It was a busy 24 hours for Bembridge RNLI who responded to not 1 but 2 shouts. The East Wight based lifeboat was first requested just before midnight on Friday (31st May) by Solent Coastguard to support RNLI Hayling Island Lifeboat Station in regard an 11m yacht, with 3 crew, which had a fouled rudder on a buoy just off Hayling Island. Unfortunately, Hayling Island lifeboat crew couldn’t release it with their B Class Atlantic-85 lifeboat, therefore RNLB Alfred Albert Williams was tasked to assist, arriving on scene at 00:11. Despite all efforts made by the crew of the larger lifeboat the yacht couldn’t be released. It was decided that Hayling Island crew would take the trio of passengers back to Hayling Island Lifeboat Station, with Bembridge rehousing back to the station at around 02:30. Commercial divers were expected to go out later in the day to release the yacht. Less than 12 hours later at 13:00 on Saturday (1st June) Bembridge were paged due to a yacht crew member suffering from a head injury within the vicinity of the forts by Portsmouth Harbour. RNLB Alfred Albert Williams launched at 13:20 and whilst en-route the crew were instructed to stand down as Gosport And Fareham Inshore Rescue Service also responded and therefore it was no longer necessary for us to complete the call out. Once Gosport arrived at the scene, they assessed the situation and were able to escort the yacht to Portsmouth Harbour. Due to the potential seriousness of the shout the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter 175 was called but also informed to stand down. RNLB Alfred Albert Williams was rehoused by 13:37.
At on Saturday at 11:58, both Yarmouth and Lymington RNLI were paged by HM Coastguard to a 23ft sailing yacht whose owner had called after the vessel had began to take on water. Yarmouth’s volunteer crew arrived alongside the casualty by 12:06pm but due to the depth of water around the casualty vessel, Lymington’s inshore RNLI lifeboat, B-882 ‘David Bradley’ transferred a member of their volunteer crew onto the casualty vessel to assess the situation. It was determined that the water ingress was not serious, so Lymington RNLI passed a towline and commenced the return passage back towards Lymington. Yarmouth’s all-weather lifeboat escorted the two vessels towards Lymington entrance, where on route, the tender between the casualty vessel and Lymington lifeboat came adrift. Yarmouth RNLI recovered the tender and continued the tow into Lymington. Yarmouth lifeboat returned to station, completed their post recovery checks and were marked as ready for service at 13:37
Elsewhere on the Island, Cowes RNLI towed a yacht with rope tied around its propeller back to safety yesterday evening (Saturday). At around 18:00 a lone sailor on their way to Lymington requested assistance after coming to a halt just east of Ryde Pier. Having made the journey from Cowes, lifeboat crew members boarded the stricken vessel before it was towed back to a pontoon in Wootton Creek. Cowes RNLI returned to station at around 20:00.
Why not? May as well put fake dialogue in the interview transcript, then resubmit amendments to CPS if it goes to trial